Comparison of electrothermal and hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry for the determination of total arsenic in broiler chicken

The purpose of this study was to estimate total arsenic concentration in different tissues (leg, breast, liver and heart) of broiler chicken by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (HGAAS) and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS), prior to microwave assisted acid digestion. The accuracy of the techniques was evaluated by using certified reference material DORM-2. The percentage recoveries of total As were observed as 100.6% and 99.4% for HGAAS and GFAAS, respectively. The precision of the techniques, expressed as relative standard deviation, was observed as 1.71% and 4.18% for HGAAS and GFAAS measurements, respectively. The limits of detection for HGAAS and GFAAS were 0.025 μg/g and 0.052 μg/g, respectively. The concentrations of total arsenic in different tissues of broiler chicken were found in the range of 2.19–5.28, 2.15–5.22, 2.97–7.17 and 2.68–6.36 μg/g for leg, breast, liver and heart tissues, respectively. At a mean level of chicken consumption (60 g/person/day), people may ingest in the range of 72.0–85.1 μg arsenic/person/day from chicken alone.     

Wild melon: a novel non-edible feedstock for bioenergy

In the present research work, a non-edible oil source Cucumis melo var. agrestis(wild melon) was systematically identified and studied for biodiesel production and its characterization. The extracted oil was 29.1% of total dry seed weight. The free fatty acid value of the oil was found to be 0.64%, and the single-step alkaline transesterification method was used for conversion of fatty acids into their respective methyl esters. The maximum conversion efficiency of fatty acids was obtained at 0.4 wt% Na OH(used as catalyst), 30%(methanol to oil, v/v) methanol amount, 60 ℃ reaction temperature,600-rpm agitation rate and 60-min reaction time. Under these optimal conditions, the conversion efficiency of fatty acid was 92%. However, in the case of KOH as catalyst, the highest conversion(85%) of fatty acids was obtained at 40%methanol to oil ratio, 1.28 wt% KOH, 60 ℃ reaction temperature, 600-rpm agitation rate and 45 min of reaction time.Qualitatively, biodiesel was characterized through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR) and gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy(GC–MS). FTIR results demonstrated a strong peak at 1742 cm~(-1), showing carbonyl groups(C=O)of methyl esters. However, GC–MS results showed the presence of twelve methyl esters comprised of lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, non-decanoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, octadecadienoic acid and octadecynoic acid. The fuel properties were found to fall within the range recommended by the international biodiesel standard, i.e., American Society of Testing Materials(ASTM): flash point of 91 ℃, density of 0.873 kg/L, viscosity of 5.35 c St, pour point of-13 ℃, cloud point of-10 ℃, total acid number of 0.242 mg KOH/g and sulfur content of 0.0043 wt%. The present work concluded the potential of wild melon seed oil as excellent non-edible source of bioenergy.     

The effect of solvent on postcuring in free radical photopolymerization

During free radical photopolymerization, with an increasing degree of conversion, the viscosity increased and vitrification occurred. The unreacted double bonds had difficulty diffusing to the reactive site in the vitrifying polymer. However, the free radicals generated in the vitrifying matrix could survive for a long time. Thus, the postcuring process occurred. In this study, free radical photopolymerization kinetics of methacrylate with or without solvent was investigated by real‐time FTIR, which was combined with a heating device. Results showed that without solvent, postcuring occurred only by heating at a higher temperature than the glass transition temperature of the polymer. However, with solvent, the postcuring occurred even at room temperature, where only a small amount of solvent was enough to cause postcuring. The lifespan of the free radicals inside the polymer was over 10 h. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 44223.     

Influence and mechanism of dissolved oxygen on the performance of Ammonia-Oxidation Microbial Fuel Cell

Based on inorganic fuel, an Ammonia-Oxidation Microbial Fuel Cell (AO-MFC) had been developed, and the influence and mechanism of dissolved oxygen (DO) on the performance of nitrification and electricity generation were investigated. The results showed that the maximum conversion percentage of ammonium–nitrogen (NH₄⁺–N) was 99.7%. The output voltage and the power density were 98.5 ± 1.41 mV and 9.70 ± 0.27 mW m⁻² in the stable phase of electricity generation. In the AO-MFC, the electrons originated from ammonia and flowed to ammonia monooxygenase (AMO, which catalyzes the conversion of ammonia to hydroxylamine), Cyt aa₃ oxidase (which catalyzes the reduction of oxygen) and electrode, which were used for triggering ammonia oxidation, synthesizing ATP and generating electricity. Molecular oxygen played a key role in the electron distribution among these three acceptors. DO concentration too high (>6.45 mg L⁻¹) or too low (<0.5 mg L⁻¹) could exert a great negative influence on the performance of electricity generation.     

Adaptive Automated Teller Machines

Nowadays, Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) provide significant online support to bank customers. A limitation of ATM usage is that customers often have to wait in a queue, especially at ATMs installed at busy locations. Also, old people tend to consume more ATM usage time, possibly frustrating customers in the queue. In these situations, ATMs should “adapt” to the behavior of the customers to minimize the usage time. To this end, we apply data mining techniques to an ATM transaction dataset obtained from an international bank based in Kuwait. We pre-process this dataset, and convert it into a specific XML format to mine it through the ProM (process mining) tool. Our results reveal that customers withdraw money most frequently, followed by purchases (through an ATM card) and balance inquiry transactions. Customers re-do these transactions frequently, and also employ them one after the other. We acquire the distributions of the withdrawn amount, based on individual customers, the location (ATM terminal) and time of the withdrawl. Based on these results, we have proposed a set of five adaptive ATM interfaces, which show only frequent transactions and frequently-withdrawn amounts, display the current balance autonomously, and query explicitly for viewing purchase history, or for performing another withdrawl. An online survey on 216 ATM customers reveals that a majority of customers are willing to use these interfaces for minimizing their usage time. Our work has been approved by the banking authority of Pakistan, and we are currently implementing our interfaces for a Pakistani bank.     

An integrated approach for groundwater potential zoning in shallow fracture zone aquifers

This study presents an integrated approach for the identification of groundwater occurrences in shallow fracture zone (SFZ) aquifers using remote-sensing, geological, and geophysical data. The Central Eastern Desert of Egypt was selected as a test site for the present study. The distribution of major faults and shear zones was extracted from a fusion image generated by injecting high-spatial resolution phased array L-band synthetic aperture radar (PALSAR) images into Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper images. The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) digital elevation model was processed to extract the drainage systems, slope, and topographic wetness index (TWI). The multidate PALSAR imagery acquired during rainy and dry seasons was used to estimate the relative soil moisture content. The lithology, fractures, drainage density, slope, TWI, and soil moisture content were used as thematic layers for groundwater occurrence in the SFZ aquifers. A GIS model of groundwater potential was developed by selecting the most probable locations for groundwater in each layer. The results indicate that the spatial distribution of the existing water wells is in agreement with the model where all wells fall in the regions of high groundwater potential zones. A geophysical survey was conducted using ground penetrating radar (GPR), indicating that the high groundwater potential zones are promising for drilling shallow wells. The adopted approach can be used as a cost-effective tool for groundwater exploration in the SFZ aquifers in the study area and in areas of similar geologic and hydrogeologic settings elsewhere.     

Evaluation of MODIS derived perpendicular drought index for estimation of surface dryness over northwestern China

In this paper, drought status of northwestern China is evaluated using the Terra–Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data with a newly developed method called perpendicular drought index (PDI), which is defined as a line segment that is parallel with the soil line and perpendicular to the normal line of soil line intersecting the coordinate origin in the two‐dimensional scatter plot of red against near infrared (NIR) wavelength reflectance. To validate the PDI in macroscale applications, quantitative evaluation of drought conditions in Ningxia, Northwestern China is carried out by comparing the PDI with one of the well‐known drought indexes, namely, temperature‐vegetation index (TVX). Linear regression between ground‐measured soil moisture data and the PDI and the TVX was made. Results show that satellite based PDI and TVX has significant correlation with 0–20 cm averaged soil moisture obtained over the meteorological observing stations across the whole study area. The highest correlation of R ² = 0.48 for the PDI and R ² = 0.40 for the TVX is obtained when compared with average soil moisture from 0 to 20 cm soil depth. According to the drought critical values defined by soil hydrologic parameters including soil moisture, wilting coefficient and field moisture capacity, the PDI based drought guidelines are established, and then the drought status in the study area is evaluated using the PDI. It is evident from the results showing the spatial distribution of drought in northwestern China that the PDI is highly accordant with field drought status.     

Indicators of research planning: A comparative study of research groups in six countries

In this paper, an attempt has been made to examine the characteristics of research planning at the micrososmic level of the research group in six countries-Argentina, Egypt, India, Republic of Korea, Poland and UkSSR. The paper focusses on the following aspects: (1) intrinsic and extrinsic factors influencing the choice of research themes and orientation of the research programme; (2) quality of research planning measured by dimensions, such as planning consistency, task-interdependence and prior contacts with potential users; and (3) pattern of funding of research groups. Variations in the characteristics of research planning and funding mechanisms in different institutional and socio-cultural settings (countries) have been examined.     

Exploring the Limits of Social Cognitive Theory: Why Negatively Reinforced Behaviors on TV May Be Modeled Anyway

Despite extensive discussion of the potential for viewers' social learning of risky health behaviors from TV programming, there has been relatively little effort to test behavioral modeling predictions. That is, it is not clear whether televised depictions of negatively reinforced undesirable behaviors (e.g., unsafe sex), in fact, influence the value viewers attach to those behaviors and their future likelihood of performing them, as social cognitive theory (SCT) would predict. Indeed, we argue that social learning in likely minimal in such contexts due to the programming schemas audiences bring to the viewing experience. In Study 1, the contents of serial TV programming schemas are examined. Results suggest that viewers expect main characters to ultimately survive and thrive, despite the adversity they face. In Study 2, competing predictions from SCT and schema theory are tested. College women ( N = 400) were exposed to various portrayals of promiscuous sexual behavior (1-night stands) that were edited to display more or less positive or negative outcomes. Results suggested that, consistent with SCT, those with direct experience with the behavior were not influenced by the portrayals. However, inconsistent with SCT, but consistent with the schema argument, those without direct experience were more likely to expect future participation in the unsafe behavior, regardless of the valence of the reinforcement depicted. Implications for future research on media, SCT, and risky behaviors are discussed.